Air Jordan 22

Post by Ian Wilkins, Jun 25, 2011 at 4:16 pm

D’Wayne Edwards returned to design the Air Jordan XX2/XXII (Air Jordan 22). Edwards found his inspiration in the F-22 Raptor. Two other Air Jordan models had been inspired by military aircraft: the Air Jordan V by the P-51 Mustang and the Air Jordan XV by the X-15 experimental rocket plane. In addition to sharing numerals with the XX2/XXII, the F-22 was a bold choice. Even though it was introduced in 2005 it is considered unmatched by any current aircraft and is rated as the best overall fighter in the world. The selection of the F-22 brought themes of speed, versatility, and stealth to the design of the Air Jordan XX2/XXII. The advertising campaign for the Air Jordan XX2/XXII took a turn towards the serious and dramatic. The television advertisement features Mozart’s Lacrimosa in D minor. The commercial transforms Jordan’s history into a mythology with its slow motion pace and dark imagery. Jordan’s former high school team, the Laney High School Buccaneers, are playing their rivals the New Hannover Wild Cats. The Wild Cats lead and with possession of the ball and a few seconds on the clock are positioned to win. Until a Laney High player comes out of the shadows to steal possession and score. Chaos ensues as the Wild Cat fans are devastated by the loss.

The Air Jordan XX2/XXII portrayed a militarist theme in a number of ways. The heel had a camouflage pattern printed in reflective material. The 3M material used for the camouflage lights up in low-light. The sole of the shoe had an updated traction system designed like a general’s stripes. The zigzag stitching recalled the radar disrupting material of the F-22. The air vents were positioned like those of the F-22. As well, a glass cockpit like logo was placed on the heel. The speed lacing system employed titanium lace loops and lock. The IPS system of the previous two Air Jordan models was redeployed for the XX2/XXII. The new system was visible and color coded. Unlike the past Air Jordan models which used carbon-fibre shank plates, the XX2/XXII used titanium which is lighter. As well, the atomic number of titanium is 22. The OG Air Jordan XX2/XXII came in special edition black leather to celebrate Jordan’s birthday. As well, an Omega model was released in white-red-black with a picture of Jordan after his sixth Championship win. The Alpha-Omega pack included a special edition of the Air Jordan I. Black-red-silver and white-red-black were also available. Two low-tops were available in black-red-white and white-blue-orange. A number of PE editions were available featuring the team colors of Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, and Seattle.

The first Jordan Brand stores opened in 2007. The first four stores were opened in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenyang. The Jordan Brand released its first products made exclusively for non-U.S. customers. The line was called XQ which recalls the naming convention of the Jordan shoes but also means Celebration in Mandarin.

The Collezione/Countdown package retro’d the XX2/XXII with the I. Jordan Brand still drops retro Air Jordans on a regular basis. To find out which colorway is dropping next, head on over to our Air Jordan Release Dates page.